10/14/2026 8:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
CONWAY, S.C. --- Coastal Carolina concludes the non-conference portion of its regular-season schedule Wednesday night with a short trip to Wilmington to face UNCW. The Chanticleers enter the match at 6-9 overall and have won two straight after completing a road sweep of Old Dominion. UNCW stands at 9-9 overall and 4-2 in the CAA.
SERIES HISTORY: Wednesday will be the 46th meeting between the programs as Division I opponents, with Coastal leading the series 23-22 in games played since 1986. The Chants have won five straight in the series, including the last meeting at UNCW in 2021. However, CCU is just 7-13 on the road.
LAST TIME VS. UNCW: Coastal Carolina extended its series winning streak to five matches with a straight-set sweep (25–19, 25–21, 25–22) over UNCW in Conway, S.C., last season. The Chanticleers hit .237 as a team and controlled the net with eight total blocks while holding UNCW to a .093 hitting percentage.
WELKER EARNS SBC HONOR: Junior middle blocker Hatteras Welker was named the Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Week on Tuesday, earning her first weekly honor of the season. Welker recorded 22 total blocks during the two wins at Old Dominion. She collected a then-season-high 10 blocks Friday before setting a career high with 12 blocks Saturday.
RINARD LEADS THE ATTACK: Anzley Rinard leads Coastal with 144 kills and 2.53 kills per set. She totaled 23 kills in the two victories at Old Dominion, including 13 kills on a .375 hitting percentage Saturday. Rinard also contributed six digs, two aces and a career-high eight blocks in the series finale.
BLOCK PARTY IN NORFOLK: Coastal's defense controlled the net during its two-match sweep of Old Dominion. The Chanticleers registered 18 blocks in Friday's 3-1 victory before producing a school-record 20 blocks in Saturday's four-set win. Coastal finished the weekend with 38 blocks across eight sets—an average of 4.75 blocks per set—and out-blocked the Monarchs 38-14. The Chants also limited Old Dominion to a combined .033 hitting percentage. ODU hit .079 in Friday's match and -.025 on Saturday.
ATTACK BLOCKERS: Several Chanticleers established or matched blocking career highs during the Old Dominion series: Welker (12), Natalie Hughes (9) and Anzley Rinard (8) each posted career bests on Saturday, while freshman Isabele Filardo had four in Friday night's win.
500 CLUB: Welker and Anna Rita each surpassed 500 career kills during Friday's victory at Old Dominion. Welker enters the UNCW match with 510 career kills, while Rita owns 506. The two middle blockers have also combined for 719 career blocks.
HUGHES NEARS 400: Natalie Hughes enters Wednesday's match one kill shy of 400 for her collegiate career. The junior has recorded 399 kills and 200 blocks. Hughes finished Saturday's win with 10 kills, a .471 hitting percentage and nine blocks.
STRENGTH AT THE NET: Coastal's middle blockers have provided efficient offense and helped the Chanticleers become one of the Sun Belt's strongest blocking teams. Rita leads Coastal with a .304 hitting percentage; Welker is hitting .274 and leads the team with 81 blocks; Hughes is hitting .246 and ranks second with 63 blocks. The trio has combined for 302 kills and 189 blocks. Coastal enters Wednesday averaging 2.70 blocks per set while holding its opponents to a .179 hitting percentage.
SERIES HISTORY: Wednesday will be the 46th meeting between the programs as Division I opponents, with Coastal leading the series 23-22 in games played since 1986. The Chants have won five straight in the series, including the last meeting at UNCW in 2021. However, CCU is just 7-13 on the road.
LAST TIME VS. UNCW: Coastal Carolina extended its series winning streak to five matches with a straight-set sweep (25–19, 25–21, 25–22) over UNCW in Conway, S.C., last season. The Chanticleers hit .237 as a team and controlled the net with eight total blocks while holding UNCW to a .093 hitting percentage.
WELKER EARNS SBC HONOR: Junior middle blocker Hatteras Welker was named the Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Week on Tuesday, earning her first weekly honor of the season. Welker recorded 22 total blocks during the two wins at Old Dominion. She collected a then-season-high 10 blocks Friday before setting a career high with 12 blocks Saturday.
RINARD LEADS THE ATTACK: Anzley Rinard leads Coastal with 144 kills and 2.53 kills per set. She totaled 23 kills in the two victories at Old Dominion, including 13 kills on a .375 hitting percentage Saturday. Rinard also contributed six digs, two aces and a career-high eight blocks in the series finale.
BLOCK PARTY IN NORFOLK: Coastal's defense controlled the net during its two-match sweep of Old Dominion. The Chanticleers registered 18 blocks in Friday's 3-1 victory before producing a school-record 20 blocks in Saturday's four-set win. Coastal finished the weekend with 38 blocks across eight sets—an average of 4.75 blocks per set—and out-blocked the Monarchs 38-14. The Chants also limited Old Dominion to a combined .033 hitting percentage. ODU hit .079 in Friday's match and -.025 on Saturday.
ATTACK BLOCKERS: Several Chanticleers established or matched blocking career highs during the Old Dominion series: Welker (12), Natalie Hughes (9) and Anzley Rinard (8) each posted career bests on Saturday, while freshman Isabele Filardo had four in Friday night's win.
500 CLUB: Welker and Anna Rita each surpassed 500 career kills during Friday's victory at Old Dominion. Welker enters the UNCW match with 510 career kills, while Rita owns 506. The two middle blockers have also combined for 719 career blocks.
HUGHES NEARS 400: Natalie Hughes enters Wednesday's match one kill shy of 400 for her collegiate career. The junior has recorded 399 kills and 200 blocks. Hughes finished Saturday's win with 10 kills, a .471 hitting percentage and nine blocks.
STRENGTH AT THE NET: Coastal's middle blockers have provided efficient offense and helped the Chanticleers become one of the Sun Belt's strongest blocking teams. Rita leads Coastal with a .304 hitting percentage; Welker is hitting .274 and leads the team with 81 blocks; Hughes is hitting .246 and ranks second with 63 blocks. The trio has combined for 302 kills and 189 blocks. Coastal enters Wednesday averaging 2.70 blocks per set while holding its opponents to a .179 hitting percentage.
Players Mentioned
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